Senators Defenseman Named to Team Finland

Following a rash of injuries to Team Finland's lineup, the Ottawa Senators will have another representative playing in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Defender Nikolas Matinpalo was named as an injury replacement for Finland to round out their defensive lineup in advance of the event.

For the Senators defender, this will be one of the biggest opportunities of his professional career. With Philadelphia Flyers' blue liner Rasmus Ristolainen withdrawing from the tournament, Matinpalo has the chance to show what he can do on an international scale.

Originally undrafted, Matinpalo made the jump to North American hockey during the 2023-2024 season. He played the majority of his debut season with the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators. In 67 games, he registered four goals and 10 assists for 14 points. He also suited up for four NHL games.

This year, he's split his time more evenly between the AHL and the NHL. In 24 AHL contests, he has two goals and six assists for eight points. At the NHL level, he's played in 18 games, but has yet to record his first point. He's averaging 12 minutes of ice-time per game with the NHL Senators.

Matinpalo developed his game working up the Finnish hockey circuit. His final two years in Finland, he played in their top professional league, Liiga, and stood out as a solid stay-at-home puck-mover. During the 2021-2022 campaign with the organization Ässät, he skated in 51 games and managed to net seven goals and add nine assists.

For the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, Matinpalo gives the Fins a much needed defender with NHL experience. They've been crushed with injuries leading up to the tournament, and after Ristolainen's withdrawal, they've lost three of their top six defensemen over the past few weeks. That's left the door open for Matinpalo and given him the biggest opportunity of his young career.